Right Moves: A LiiNK Center for Healthy Play Podcast

Work, dinner, sleep, repeat… Is it Friday yet? It’s easy to get stuck in a negative mindset when you simply go through the motions of your day, especially if you find yourself in a role that doesn’t highlight your strengths or bring you joy. In this first part of a two-part series on purpose and productivity, Dr. Rhea walks us through a self-reflection exercise to see just how much our thoughts can impact our days, our weeks, and our lives. She discusses the importance of reflecting on each day and utilizing our natural character strengths to create a happier, more successful life. If you are unhappy with certain areas of your life, perhaps the change begins with you!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

VIA Survey of Character Strengths: Step 1 of 20 | Authentic Happiness (free to register)

The American Academy of Pediatrics has officially released an updated recess policy statement. So what does this mean for parents, educators, and pediatricians? Dr. Rhea brings back co-authors of the statement, Drs. Robert Murray and Cathy Ramstetter, to share what is new in this statement compared to the 2013 statement, why these changes were made, and the vast library of evidence-based research that went into the updating process. This updated recess statement is vital to improving the health of our nation. You can read the full statement here: https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics

In healthcare, there are three levels of prevention in treatment – primary, secondary and tertiary – and the focus primarily leans towards tertiary prevention which involves managing diseases that are already present. While the need for tertiary prevention is certainly high, shouldn’t we also be addressing how these diseases came to be and preventing them at the primary level by addressing how to shift behaviors to include exercise, proper nutrition, taking breaks throughout the day outdoors to reboot the brain, and other lifestyle factors? Dr. Rhea brings back Dr. Hope Shepherd and Theresa Murphy, LCSW, to address this topic and share what they have implemented in their own work with patients and residency physicians to focus on primary prevention. This conversation is a strong reminder that whole health is a community effort. If we want to see a healthy community, we must all work together to provide primary prevention starting with children.

Theresa Murphy is a Director of Family Medicine Behavioral Health, working directly with patients and training residency doctors. Receiving her degree from Saint Louis University, Theresa is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with interest in Behavioral Health Integration, Measurement-Based Care, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-Informed care, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and Health and Wellness.

 Dr. Hope Shepherd is a Student Clerkship Director for a Family Medicine Residency Program. She attended medical school at UT Southwestern Medical School, followed by a residency at Methodist Health System Family Medicine Residency Program, and a Faculty Development Fellowship at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. Dr. Shepherd’s areas of interest include medical education, preventative medicine, community medicine, and HIV health care.

It’s no secret that mental and physical health diseases are on the rise in the U.S., and most healthcare visits seem to focus on diagnoses and quick fixes usually through prescription drugs. Should we be shifting our focus? Dr. Rhea sits down with two practitioners who work primarily with residency programs, Dr. Hope Shepherd and Theresa Murphy, LCSW, to discuss how shifting the focus to primary prevention, such as exercise, spending time outdoors, and learning more about their patient’s lifestyles can help physicians better treat the whole health of their patients. Most importantly, they discuss the need to teach these approaches to their physician residents, barriers they face in making this shift, and remembering that healthcare should be more than just an algorithm.

Theresa Murphy is a Director of Family Medicine Behavioral Health, working directly with patients and training residency doctors. Receiving her degree from Saint Louis University, Theresa is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with interest in Behavioral Health Integration, Measurement-Based Care, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-Informed care, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and Health and Wellness.

 Dr. Hope Shepherd is a Student Clerkship Director for a Family Medicine Residency Program. She attended medical school at UT Southwestern Medical School, followed by a residency at Methodist Health System Family Medicine Residency Program, and a Faculty Development Fellowship at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. Dr. Shepherd’s areas of interest include medical education, preventative medicine, community medicine, and HIV health care.

From trying a new diet to getting a gym membership, every new year brings New Year’s resolutions. You may start them with high hopes and the best of intentions, but are you really putting the right things in place to reach a goal and then stick with it? In this episode, Dr. Rhea flies solo as she discusses why behavior change is often so difficult to maintain, and the simple steps you can take to create healthy habits that actually stick.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

https://www.myplate.gov/

VLK Architects is a north Texas based architecture firm that specializes in education settings and prioritizes the client’s needs and priorities. When Dr. Jim Chadwell, then superintendent of Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD, partnered with VLK to design the new district administration building, he knew exactly what he wanted the building to be – a flexible, open-concept space that utilizes natural elements and the surrounding woods to create an environment people felt good in. The VLK team worked closely with Dr. Chadwell, taking the time to meet all of his goals, for no more cost than a regular education building. Together, they created a legacy of prioritizing whole health and nature within the community through their designs. Dr. Rhea sits down with Dr. Chadwell and Senior Associate at VLK who headed this project, Erjon Troqe, to share the design process and why intentionality and nature-based design is so important.

Dr. Jim Chadwell was born in Fort Worth, Texas and earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees all from Texas Christian University. During his 31-year career in public education, he served in various teaching and administrative roles including teacher, coach, high school principal, executive director for elementary and secondary instruction, and superintendent. He served the last 14 years as superintendent of Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD, where he had several accomplishments, including overseeing two bond programs bringing in new schools, a career and technology center, a new district administration building with a Discovery Lab Learning Center and renovations to every facility in the district. He also led the implementation of the EMS ISD Police Department district-wide, and the LiiNK Project in all EMS ISD elementary schools.

Retiring from the district in January of 2025, Dr. Chadwell began his next chapter as an Educational Planner and Senior Associate for VLK Edge architecture team, bringing to the firm substantial experience as a leader in Texas public school districts.

Erjon Troqe was born in Tirana, Albania. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in architecture and a master’s degree in urban planning from the Polytechnic University of Tirana. Erjon has practiced architecture in Texas with a specialization in design for the last 21 years. The first 9 years, he focused primarily in education settings working on mixed use and higher education spaces for TCU and SMU. For the last 13 years, he has dedicated his work to public education architecture around various regions of Texas.

In this concrete-jungle world, we’ve become an increasingly indoor society and it can be easy to forget the importance of immersing ourselves in nature, especially in school settings. The outdoor landscapes can be designed for natural engagement of play or hanging out or being active. Many different ways to think about a landscape to be more nature driven and inviting are available, i.e., use of large granite stones, berms (large mounds of dirt) functioning as paths or conversation areas, trees, and other nature materials. These settings can improve mood and stress levels by creating a sense of calm for everyone. In this episode, Dr. Rhea brings in Dr. Jim Chadwell, former superintendent of EMS ISD and current Senior Associate for VLK Edge architecture team, to share his experience with bringing naturalistic designs to outdoor school spaces. During his 14 years as superintendent, Dr. Chadwell knew the importance of the outdoors and unstructured play, especially as the LiiNK Project was implemented in every elementary school, and pushed hard to bring naturalistic design elements to each new school and district building built during his tenure. Listen as he recounts these builds and the positive impact these designs brought to EMS-ISD.

Dr. Jim Chadwell was born in Fort Worth, Texas and earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees all from Texas Christian University. During his 31-year career in public education, he served in various teaching and administrative roles including teacher, coach, high school principal, executive director for elementary and secondary instruction, and superintendent. He served the last 14 years as superintendent of Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD, where he had several accomplishments, including overseeing two bond programs bringing in new schools, a career and technology center, a new district administration building with a Discovery Lab Learning Center and renovations to every facility in the district. He also led the implementation of the EMS ISD Police Department district-wide, and the LiiNK Project in all EMS ISD elementary schools.

Retiring from the district in January of 2025, Dr. Chadwell began his next chapter as an Educational Planner and Senior Associate for VLK Edge architecture team, bringing to the firm substantial experience as a leader in Texas public school districts.

Dr. Rhea brings back long-time friend and colleague, Cheryl Potemkin, to discuss her expertise and experience with professional development focused on outdoor learning. Cheryl dives into working with the audience’s strengths and needs, changing perspective on the outdoor space and one’s “nature identity”, and how centering the professional development message around the audience is key for a successful learning experience.

Cheryl Potemkin is dedicated to designing and implementing nature-based learning and professional development, teaching science thinking concepts through quality children’s literature and hands-on activities through independent consulting and support. Cheryl is one of the North Texas Regional leads for the Texas Children in Nature Network, and a Board Member for the Fort Worth Association for the Education of Young Children. She’s currently earning her master’s degree in early childhood education at the University of North Texas and looking forward to supporting nature-based exploration for all! 

A Storybook Walk is a fun and creative way to engage children of all ages with reading while moving along a pathway, preferably outdoors. Dr. Rhea brings on long-time friend and colleague, Cheryl Potemkin, to share her expertise on Storybook Walks and how they can be effective even on a budget. Listen in as they break down different ways and places that Storybook Walks can be implemented without having to be part of a graded curriculum and still be highly effective. Nature gives us that unique energy! You’ll want to try this out!

Cheryl Potemkin is dedicated to designing and implementing nature-based learning and professional development, teaching science thinking concepts through quality children’s literature and hands-on activities through independent consulting and support. Cheryl is one of the North Texas Regional leads for the Texas Children in Nature Network, and a Board Member for the Fort Worth Association for the Education of Young Children. She’s currently earning her master’s degree in early childhood education at the University of North Texas and looking forward to supporting nature-based exploration for all! 

The American Academy of Pediatrics first published a policy statement on recess in 2013, stating that recess plays a crucial role in a child’s development, and is equally as important as academic pursuits. Sadly, standardized testing and academic scores have continued to be prioritized in schools while recess is often removed for tutoring or punishment. After the Covid 19 pandemic, this trend only deepened despite numerous research pointing to recess, physical activity, and the outdoors as key elements to improve whole child health and academic scores. These two areas suffered greatly as schools attempted to get back on track after Covid. Though the AAP reaffirmed their recess policy statement in April of 2023, they knew an official update was needed. The update will be in print this spring 2026! Dr. Rhea sits down with Drs. Robert Murray and Cathy Ramstetter, co-authors of the previous 2013 recess policy statement and the updated 2026 policy statement, to discuss the elements that needed to be updated, a new element that needed more focus (medical field and the education system), and why the update is necessary now.

Dr. Cathy Ramstetter is a School Health Consultant with ⁠Successful Healthy Children⁠, assisting schools with wellness initiatives and recess implementation, to protect recess for every child everyday and to foster children’s healthy growth and development. Dr. Ramstetter is the co-author of AAP’s Policy on Recess with Dr. Bob Murray. She serves on the Board of Directors for DePaul Cristo Rey High School in Cincinnati, where she is a member of the Academic Committee. In April, 2020, Dr. Ramstetter was a founding member of the ⁠Global Recess Alliance⁠, academic leaders from the US, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia, which guides schools to rethink policies and practices for recess.  In October of 2022, the ⁠International Play Association-USA⁠ conferred the Doctor of Play to Dr. Ramstetter in recognition of her lifetime achievements in advocating for the child’s right to play.

Dr. Robert Murray spent over 20 years in the field of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition in the Ohio State University School of Medicine. For 5 years, he served as the director of the ⁠Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition⁠, offering medical and surgical treatments for child and adolescent obesity. Dr. Murray also was the pediatric medical director for ⁠Abbott Nutrition⁠ from 2003-2006. For over a decade Dr. Murray was an executive committee member of the ⁠American Academy of Pediatrics’ Council on School Health⁠, serving as chair in the final 4 years. He is a Board member of ⁠Action for Healthy Kids⁠, and previously served on the Board of the ⁠Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation⁠ and the ⁠Children’s Hunger Alliance⁠. Dr. Murray is a past President of the Ohio Chapter of the ⁠American Academy of Pediatrics⁠.