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Tune in to part two of “Unpacking Headlines of 2026” where this episode we wrestle with how therapy speak shapes real-life relationships, how financial stress and subtle uncertainties of the economy show up in the counseling office, and explore third spaces and why Cleveland’s WNBA return can rebuild belonging and collective joy. 

Pop culture “therapy speak” is everywhere, and the stakes are higher than a vocab debate. When words like triggered, gaslighting, boundaries, narcissist, and attachment style hit the group chat, they can either open a door to self-understanding or become a shortcut that shames, labels, and shuts people down. We talk through concept creep, why people reach for these terms when they’re flooded, and how we can respond with curiosity and nuance instead of online gotchas.

Then we pivot to a headline most of us feel in our bodies: everything costs more. Lower inflation doesn’t mean lower prices, and financial stress rarely walks into session wearing a name tag. We connect the affordability crisis to irritability, insomnia, conflict, overworking, avoidance, and shame, and we reframe a lot of “anxious distress” as a reasonable response to unreasonable circumstances. We also share practical ways to invite money conversations in intake, validate what’s real without blaming clients, and keep a resource mindset when people have to cut back.

Finally, we ask a question that keeps coming up for adults: where do we go to make friends now? We unpack the decline of third spaces, how loneliness gets mislabeled as personal failure, and why rebuilding community matters. That’s also why Cleveland getting a WNBA team again, the Cleveland Sirens, is more than sports: it’s identity, representation, and collective hope when the news feels heavy.

If you enjoy thoughtful, counselor-forward takes on culture, language, and community connection, subscribe to Ohio Counseling Conversations, leave a five-star review, and share this with a friend.

Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee

·Hosted by Marisa Cargill, PhD & Mike Desposito

·Pre-Production & Coordination by Marisa Cargill, PhD & Mike Desposito

·Editing by Marisa Cargill, PhD

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Dolly Parton’s death hit a lot of us harder than we expected and that reaction is not “dramatic,” it’s human. We start by naming what counselors often see beneath celebrity loss: parasocial relationships, memory, identity, and the way grief can quietly turn into mortality anxiety. When clients bring these moments into the therapy room, they are often grieving more than a person, they are grieving a time in life, a sense of safety, or a symbol of hope.

Then we move to a headline that raises far sharper edges: the Lindsay Clancy trial and the public conversation around postpartum mental health. We stay firmly in the counseling lane, no armchair diagnosis, no speculation, and no verdict predictions. Instead, we unpack what postpartum psychosis is, why postpartum mental illness does not mean postpartum violence, and why people crave a single explanation when the truth is complex. We also talk about “functioning” as a misleading yardstick and what it feels like when clinical documentation becomes courtroom material.

From there, we zoom out to true crime culture and the psychology of consuming other people’s worst moments. We explore motives like defensive vigilance and puzzle-solving, plus the red flags that tell you it is starting to affect sleep, anxiety, or daily life. Finally, we tackle the $18 billion Meta settlement and what it suggests about social media addiction, persuasive design, and teen mental health, with media literacy as a practical tool for clients and clinicians alike. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share it with a colleague, and leave a review so more people can join the conversation.

Subscribe to Ohio Counseling Conversations, leave a five-star review, and share this with a friend.

OCA Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/ohiocounseling

Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee

·Hosted by Marisa Cargill and Michael Desposito

·Pre-Production & Coordination by Marisa Cargill and Michael Desposito

·Editing by Marisa Cargill

·Original music selections by Elijah Satoru Wood

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We’d love to hear from our listeners!

In our August Couch to Capitol Episode, Lauren Collins-Knight, MA, LPCC breaks down ongoing legislation at the state and federal levels that may be helpful for counselors to keep an eye on. While the legislators are on break, that doesn’t mean our advocacy needs to be put on hold. Listen on to stay informed and involved with ongoing OCA advocacy efforts! 

• SB 274/HB 172 - Prohibiting mental health care of minors without parental consent (OPPOSE) Share written testimony with OCA’s Government Relations Committee via email at [email protected]
• HB 724 - Mental Health Wellness Checks (SUPPORT) Contact your state rep to prioritize this bill when session resumes. 
• HB 327 - Parents Pride Act (SUPPORT) Contact your state rep to prioritize this bill when session resumes. 
• HB 300 - Prohibiting conversion therapy (SUPPORT) Contact your state rep to prioritize this bill when session resumes. 
• HB 220 - Prior Authorizations (SUPPORT) Contact your state rep to prioritize this bill when session resumes. 
• HB 716 - All Claims Payer Database (SUPPORT) Contact your state rep to prioritize this bill when session resumes. 
• HB 346 - "V.J.'s Law" OCA is working to better understand this proposed bill and its implications for Ohio counselors. We encourage you to contact OCA’s Government Relations Committee if you would like your voice to be heard. 
• HB 525 - Regards Use of Artificial Intelligence in Therapy Services (SUPPORT) Contact your state rep to prioritize this bill when session resumes. 

• S.4407 - CHATBOT ACT (SUPPORT) Contact your state rep to prioritize this bill when session resumes. 
• SB 4202 Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act of 2026 (SUPPORT) Contact your state rep to prioritize this bill when session resumes. 
• HR 7324 The More Behavioral Health Providers Act (SUPPORT) Urge your Ohio representatives to cosponsor the More Behavioral Health Providers Act today via NBCC. 
• HR 7394 The Mental Health Career Promotion Act (SUPPORT) Contact your state rep to prioritize this bill when session resumes. 
• Multiple Threats to Counselor Workforce Development (OPPOSE)

• GRC Town Hall - registration open now for August 28th virtual town hall from 12-1pm
• OCA Lunch & Learns - registration open now for September 4th virtual Lunch & Learn from 12-1pm
• AOCC - early bird registration available until October 7th 
  
  

If you want clear, counselor-focused mental health policy updates, subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review so more counselors can find it.

Connect with Us on Any or All Socials at our Link Tree! 

• OCA Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/ohiocounseling
• Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee 
  Hosted by Lauren Collins-Knight
  Pre-Production & Coordination by Lauren Collins-Knight, Victoria Frazier, Mariah Payne, and Dr. Marisa Cargill
  Editing by Lauren Collins-Knight

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It’s a question we’ve all been asked time and time again: “What’s your theoretical orientation?” We first heard it in grad school, but answering that question has never really gone away. Picking a counseling modality can feel like choosing a side, but real counseling rarely works that way. In this episode of Let’s Unpack That, we talk through what has actually helped us decide the tools to use in session and the modalities we root ourselves in. 

Some counselors may find themselves practicing primarily from one modality, whereas others utilize a more eclectic blend. We explore both perspectives during this episode, and acknowledge the similarities and differences that can confuse new learners when taking in the many counseling modalities to choose from. Join us as we review three core foundational theories (Psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioral, & Humanistic) that influence additional waves of therapies. 

Finally, we explore how even though there can be many similarities in the “cake” of counseling, different “frostings” influence what we respond to in session. If your cake is frosted full of Motivational Interviewing, you’ll respond differently to client complaints than your colleague decorating their Somatic-Focused cake. If you are a counselor, student, or curious listener trying to find the modality that fits your brain and your clients, this episode will help you breathe and get practical. 

Listen, then tell us what influenced your theoretical fit. Subscribe to Ohio Counseling Conversations, leave a five-star review, and share this with a friend.

OCA Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/ohiocounseling

Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee

·Hosted by Victoria Frazier and Lauren Collins-Knight

·Pre-Production & Coordination by Lauren Collins-Knight and Victoria Frazier

·Editing by Lauren Collins-Knight

·Original music selections by Elijah Satoru Wood

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Trauma work gets more effective and more honest when we stop pretending identity is optional. We sit down with Dr. Claire Martin, professional counselor, counselor educator, complex trauma specialist, and incoming AMCD President-elect, to talk about what culturally responsive, liberatory, trauma-informed care looks like in real clinical decisions and real professional leadership.

We start with the personal roots of her work: mentorship, immigration, and early experiences of political turmoil in Haiti that built a lifelong sensitivity to oppression and community harm. From there, we get practical about trauma treatment. Dr. Martin breaks down how she thinks about EMDR therapy for complex trauma, what “readiness” actually means, and how trauma-focused CBT principles like safety, psychoeducation, regulation skills, and client-led storytelling can strengthen counseling across settings.

Then we go where many clinicians hesitate: racial trauma and the myth that it only exists when clients bring it up first. Dr. Martin explains how to look for system-level impact, why trust and connection are central to healing, and how approaches like relational-cultural therapy help clients feel seen while counselors stay culturally humble. We also dig into the pipeline problems that shape access to care: gatekeeping versus “gate opening,” the supervisor shortage, incentives that could make supervision sustainable, and why integrative care, AI in counseling education, and advocacy for mental health funding belong in our shared future.

If this conversation adds language or tools you want to carry into session, subscribe, share it with a colleague, and leave a review so more counselors can find it.

Other Resources:

• https://www.drclairemartin.com/
• Find Dr. Martin on LinkedIn here.

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OCA Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/ohiocounseling

If you’re a counselor in Ohio and would like to get involved as part of production or as a guest, or know someone who might be interested, please email us at [email protected]!

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Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee

·Hosted by Victoria Frazier

·Pre-Production & Coordination by Marisa Cargill, Lauren Collins-Knight, Victoria Frazier, and Shannon O'Mara

·Editing by Marisa Cargill

·Original music selections by Elijah Satoru Wood

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Laws don’t feel abstract when they land on your schedule, your billing, or your client’s ability to get through the front door. We’re back with a summer policy check-in that connects Ohio legislative news, federal rulemaking, and real clinical impact for counselors across the state.

We start in Ohio, where a vetoed absentee voting bill highlights how barriers to civic participation can hit the same communities we often serve. Then we dig into a big practice-stability win: new limits on insurance clawbacks, plus the Access to Care bills that could improve network adequacy, stop retroactive prior authorization denials for behavioral health, and require private insurers to cover telehealth mental health services. We also unpack fresh data on reimbursement gaps, provider shortages across Ohio counties, and what a steep drop in ACA marketplace enrollment could mean for clients who suddenly can’t afford coverage.

From there, we zoom out to Washington. We break down the proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, including the plan to extend the mental health telehealth in-person waiver, and why the numbers still matter for reimbursement. We also flag the “Do No Harm” earnings benchmark rule that could squeeze counseling programs and student loan access, even as the workforce shortage grows. Finally, we cover the status of 988’s specialized LGBTQ youth routing, what to update in safety plans right now, and the growing reach of the counseling compact for interstate telehealth.

If you want clear, counselor-focused mental health policy updates without the fluff, subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review so more counselors can find it.

State Level

• Gov. DeWine Vetoes HB 472 (Absentee Ballot ID Requirement) — No action needed; resolved. 
• SB 162 Signed Into Law (Insurer Recoupment Timeframe) — No action needed; know your new rights on billing clawbacks. 
• HB 219 — Network Adequacy Standards (Pending) — (SUPPORT) Contact your state rep to prioritize this bill when session resumes. 
• HB 220 — Bars Retroactive Prior Auth Denials for MH/SUD Care (Passed House) — (SUPPORT) Contact your state rep to prioritize this bill when session resumes. 
• HB 709 — Requires Telehealth Mental Health Coverage (Pending) — (SUPPORT) Contact your state rep to prioritize this bill when session resumes. 
• Ohio Kids Losing Access to Mental Healthcare — (UPDATE) Use this data when advocating for HB 219/220/709. 
• Ohio's Largest-in-the-Nation ACA Marketplace Enrollment Drop — (UPDATE) Check in with clients about coverage changes at intake/renewal. 
• 30% of Ohio Women Didn't Get Needed Reproductive Care — (UPDATE) No specific action; context for client conversations. 
• Funding Gaps and Stigma Driving Ohio LGBTQ+ Health Disparities — (UPDATE) Consider affirming-care CEU/training opportunities. 
• House Bill 172 — Repeals ORC 5122.04 (Minor Consent for Mental Health Services) – (OPPOSE) Submit written testimony, contact your state rep to discuss in person.
• Senate Bill 274 — Repeals ORC 5122.04 (Minor Consent for Mental Health Services), Senate Companion to HB 172 – (OPPOSE) Submit written testimony, contact your state senator to discuss in person.
• ODM Recognizes DC:0-5 Diagnostic System for Infant/Toddler Mental Health — (UPDATE) No action needed; know the new billing crosswalk is available if you treat clients ages 0–5. 

Federal Level

• CMS Releases CY2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule — (OPPOSE Cuts to Fee Schedule) Submit comments by Sept. 14 (file code CMS-1848-P) at regulations.gov. 
• "Do No Harm" Earnings Provision Now in Effect, Threatens Counseling Education Programs — Contact your members of Congress and urge them to protect counseling and other helping-profession programs from this earnings test via ACA's Take Action center. 
• SB 5017 Bipartisan Senators Introduce More Paid Leave for More Americans Act — (SUPPORT) No action needed yet; bill just introduced. Good context for clients navigating unpaid leave, postpartum stress, or caregiver burnout. 
• H.R. 8800 National Defense Authorization Act SAVE America Act Attached to NDAA — Voter ID/Registration Bill (Contested, Outcome Uncertain) — (SUPPORT) Civic participation is a protective factor for many clients — documentation barriers under debate would land hardest on older adults, name-changed individuals, and people without easy passport/birth certificate access. 
• H.R. 139 - House Passes Sunshine Protection Act (Permanent Daylight Saving Time) — (UPDATE - WATCH) No action needed; informational. 
• HHS Withdraws Rule Threatening Hospital Medicare/Medicaid Access Over Trans Youth Care — (WATCH) Continue monitoring; situation still developing. 

Other — Advocacy & Community

• 988 LGBTQ+ "Press 3" Option: One Year Since Shutdown, Still Not Restored — Update your referral lists; in the meantime, the Trevor Project's own 24/7 line is 1-866-488-7386. Contact your representative to push HHS to move faster. 
• Pennsylvania Becomes 40th State to Join the Counseling Compact — No action needed; informational. 
• ACA Hill Day — Registration Closes July 31 @ 11:59 PM — Register now. 
• AOCC Registration Open — Early Bird Pricing — Register now to lock in the discount. 

Connect with Us on Any or All Socials at our Link Tree! 

OCA Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/ohiocounseling

Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee 
Hosted by Dr. Marisa Cargill
Pre-Production & Coordination by Dr. Marisa Cargill, Lauren Collins-Knight, Victoria Frazier, and Mariah Payne
Editing by Dr. Marisa Cargill

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Getting on an elevator shouldn’t feel like a group therapy exercise and yet, at a counseling conference, it somehow does. We’re pulling back the curtain on the weird, funny, and honestly inevitable ways the counseling profession rewires your brain. If you’ve ever found yourself in a politeness standoff at a hotel elevator, you already know the vibe. 

We talk through the counselor habits that follow us home: automatically nodding and using encouragers while watching a long TikTok, turning a simple checkout interaction into a surprisingly deep conversation, and hearing tone shifts and emotional language that other people miss. We also get into the subtle language changes that can “give you away” like calling adults “grown-ups,” catching yourself asking a classic therapy question, or being extra careful with “why” because you know it can make someone feel defensive. 

Then we zoom out to the tools and values underneath it all. We share the regulation supports we keep within reach (think bubbles, fidgets, blankets, and other grounding props), how we react when friends slide into negative self talk or body talk, and the accidental “we” that can slip into everyday conversation because collaboration is baked into how we relate. We end with a real reminder: most of these quirks are features, not bugs, as long as we stay intentional about context, boundaries, and impact versus intent. 

Listen, then tell us what counselor quirk you’ve picked up. Subscribe to Ohio Counseling Conversations, leave a five-star review, and share this with a friend who will instantly recognize themselves.

Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee

·Hosted by Victoria Frazier & Marisa Cargill

·Pre-Production & Coordination by Marisa Cargill and Victoria Frazier

·Editing by Marisa Cargill

·Original music selections by Elijah Satoru Wood

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If you’ve ever felt like counseling is happening in three places at once the therapy room, the classroom, and the policy arena you’re not imagining it. We talk with Dr. Chase Morgan-Swaney, an assistant professor at Baldwin Wallace University, an LPCC-S, and the newest president of the Ohio Counseling Association, about what it takes to practice and lead with clarity when the profession feels stretched thin.

We start with professional counselor identity across clinical mental health counseling, school counseling, and couples and family work, and why those boundaries are not as clean as training programs sometimes imply. From there, we get practical about clinical supervision: what “meeting supervisees where they are” really looks like when values clash, stress is high, and the ethical duty to avoid imposing values is real. We also explore how trauma-informed counseling has expanded to include culture and oppression, alongside post-traumatic growth and resilience.

On the clinical side, Chase breaks down Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for CBT-trained counselors, including the role of mindfulness, acceptance, and values-based action. We dig into affirmative therapy with LGBTQ and neurodiverse clients, how to hold space for discrimination without pathologizing a reasonable response, and how cultural broaching can build trust. Finally, we zoom out to OCA leadership, managed care pressures, continuing education, member value, and one system change that could reduce burnout: paying counselors for the administrative work that makes care possible.

Subscribe for more Ohio Counseling Conversations, share this with a colleague, and leave a review so more counselors can find the show.

Connect with Us on Any/All Socials at our Link Tree!

OCA Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/ohiocounseling

If you’re a counselor in Ohio and would like to get involved as part of production or as a guest, or know someone who might be interested, please email us at [email protected]!

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Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee

·Hosted by Marisa Cargill

·Pre-Production & Coordination by Marisa Cargill, Lauren Collins-Knight, Victoria Frazier, and Shannon O'Mara

·Editing by Marisa Cargill

·Original music selections by Elijah Satoru Wood

Send us Fan Mail

Surprise insurance clawbacks, fast-moving Medicaid rule changes, and a growing stack of bills that reshape client access can make it feel like the ground is shifting under counselors’ feet. We lay out what’s changing in Ohio right now and translate policy language into practical realities for counseling practices, community agencies, and the people we serve.

SB 162 (SUPPORT) Third party payments are considered final one year after the payment is made and providers are given 60-days to appeal a claw back. Awaiting signature from Gov DeWine
HB 718 (SUPPORT) - Expands certification pathways for Qualified Mental Health Specialists (QMHS) and renames the Chemical Dependency Professionals Board to the Behavioral Health Professionals Board. In Committee; watching for updates.
EO 2026-01D (UPDATE) - New Ohio Medicaid rules that moderate provider credentialing and attempt to mitigate fraud: 5160-1-17.4 -  Length and type of provider agreements; 5160-1-17.6 -  Termination and denial of provider agreement; 5160-1-42 -  Provider credentialing.
SB 315 (UPDATE) - Medicaid Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Bill impacting Medicaid providers, managed care organizations (MCOs), and other stakeholders in Ohio’s Medicaid program; Legal Analysis Shumaker
    ->The Ohio Council of Behavioral Health & Family Services Providers - Updated Guidance & ODM Provider Office Hours
HB 718 (SUPPORT) - Could create a formal path for Qualified Mental Health Professionals and rename the Chemical Dependency Professional Board to the Behavioral Health Professionals Board.
HB 346 (WATCH) - Creates redundant law that healthcare providers must report suspected child abuse.
SJR 10 (OPPOSE): Constitutional amendment that would enshrine the states' existing photo ID requirements into the state constitution; on the Ohio ballot in November.
HB 472 (OPPOSE): Waives ID and birth certificate fees for houseless individuals and includes a provision requiring absentee voters to present ID.
SB 276; SUB-SB 156 (OPPOSE):  SUB-BILL which includes creating a requirement that  6-12 grade schools teach "Success Sequence.” 
HB 347; HB 324 (OPPOSE) - Increased barriers to accessing timely abortions/abortion medication.
SB 274 (OPPOSE) - Removing a minor’s ability to access services in crisis without parental consent.
Justice Department Settles With Cleveland Clinic (UPDATE)
H.R.2616 (OPPOSE) - Restrictions in Education around LGBTQIA+ topics
Regulation for Federal Assistance (OPPOSE) - A sweeping overhaul of federal assistance rules; includes prohibitions on diversity, equity, inclusion policies or gender affirming practices.
American Counseling Association: Hill Day (ACTION) - Collaborate with ACA to meet up in Washington DC and engage in legislative advocacy.
    ->Article: A Counselor's Most Powerful Advocacy Tool

Connect with Us on Any or All Socials at our Link Tree!

• OCA Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/ohiocounseling

Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee

·Hosted by Mariah Payne

·Pre-Production & Coordination by Marisa Cargill, Lauren Collins-Knight, Victoria Frazier, and Mariah Payne

·Editing by Marisa Cargill

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A three-minute song can do something a 50-minute conversation struggles to pull off: it tells the truth fast. We’re exploring “accidental music therapy,” the tracks that were never designed to teach counseling skills, yet somehow nail grief, self-compassion, boundaries, identity, and resilience with a few lines and a melody that sticks. To be clear, this is not a replacement for counseling, and it’s not music therapy as a credentialed clinical discipline. It’s the pop culture side of mental health and why certain songs feel like emotional permission. 

We start with the big question: why do some songs land so hard? From “Vienna” to “Never Grow Up,” “Landslide,” and “Lose You To Love Me,” we talk about how music can hold the complexity of loss, transition, and growing up. Then we shift into self-worth and the inner critic with songs like “Born This Way,” “Who Says,” and “That I Would Be Good,” using lyrics as a practical bridge when it’s hard to find your own words. 

From there, we connect the playlist to therapy frameworks and real skills: resilience and post-traumatic growth, ACT ideas like cognitive diffusion and psychological flexibility, and parts work vibes inspired by “Surface Pressure” and “Anti-Hero.” We also dig into nervous system regulation and mindfulness, including why singing can be grounding and why “Weightless” by Marconi Union stands out with actual anxiety-reduction research behind it. 

If you’ve ever felt seen by a chorus at exactly the right moment, you’re not alone. Listen, grab the playlist link in the show notes, then subscribe, share with a colleague or friend, and leave a review so more people can find the songs that help them heal.

Spotify Playlist

What do you think? Send us your questions or topics you'd like us to unpack!

OCA Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/ohiocounseling

Connect with Us on Any/All Socials at our Link Tree!

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If you’re a counselor in Ohio and would like to get involved as part of production or as a guest, or know someone who might be interested, please email us at [email protected]!

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Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee

·Hosted by Victoria Frazier & Marisa Cargill

·Pre-Production & Coordination by Marisa Cargill and Victoria Frazier

·Editing by Marisa Cargill

·Original music selections by Elijah Satoru Wood